The ‘Daytona’ is a nameplate that is massively popular among the biking community. Triumph started the new year by reviving the famed name after a series of teasers released late last year. The 660 is not as committed as its predecessor & is built on the same platform as the Trident & Tiger Sport 660, with certain changes to suit its nature.
The 660 is here to take on the repositioned supersport sector where the screaming inline-4 cylinder track weapons are out & more road-focused, user-friendly machines are in. This means the new Daytona is shaping up to compete against bikes like the Yamaha R7, Honda CBR650R & the Aprilia RS660. But the Triumph has something none of the other bikes offer, an inline 3-cylinder engine.
The chassis, engine & electronics all differ in some way as compared to the Trident & Tiger Sport 660. The engine being the area where the most number of changes have happened, with it featuring 3 individual throttle bodies instead of a single one as seen on its siblings based on the same platform. Dig a little deeper into the engine & you’ll find larger exhaust valves, a new valvetrain with higher lift cams, new pistons, a new combustion chamber & a new crank.
The engine offers 17% more power & 9% more torque than the Trident. It features a liquid-cooled 660cc inline-3 with DOHC, 4 valves per cylinder & a 240-degree firing order. It makes a claimed 94 hp at 11,250 rpm & 69 (Nice) N-m of torque at 8,250 rpm. More than 80% of the torque is available from 3,125 rpm & the engine redlines at 12,650 rpms.
It is equipped with a 6-speed gearbox, throttle-by-wire, a slip/assist clutch & a 3-into-1 exhaust with a low stainless-steel silencer that sounds sporty. Triumph’s Shift Assist for clutchless up & down-shifts is also available as an accessory.
The motorcycle is underpinned by a Tubular steel perimeter frame. The bike rides on 5-spoke cast aluminium wheels wrapped in Michelin’s new Power 6 tires. The front gets a 120/70-ZR17 section tyre, while the rear has a 180/55-ZR17 section tyre. It is equipped with Showa 41 mm upside-down front forks & Showa monoshock rear suspension. The fuel tank capacity of the bike stands at 14 litres.
The bike has a seat height of 810 mm, however, there is an accessory seat option to lower the height to 785 mm. The ergonomics & the seating posture of the bike reflect the idea of ‘real-world use.’ The clip-ons are positioned above the top yoke & the footpegs have been moved slightly up & back for a balance between comfort & cornering clearance.
Braking is handled by twin 310 mm floating discs up front & a single 220 mm fixed disc at the rear. There is also a new ‘Emergency Deceleration Warning system’ that activates the hazard lights to alert other road users during heavy braking.
The instrument cluster is recognizable from the one on the Tiger Sport 660, the multi-functional display features a colour TFT screen integrated into a white-on-black LCD. This unit is compatible with the accessory ‘My Triumph Connectivity System’ that enables turn-by-turn navigation along with phone & music interaction. All the functions are displayed on the TFT screen & controlled via the switchgear.
There are a total of 3 riding modes on offer: sport, road & rain. Some of the other features include heated grips, under-seat USB socket, tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS) & a twin LED headlight setup that incorporates a central air intake.
The service interval is 16,000 km or 12 months, whichever comes 1st & the bike is offered with a 2-year unlimited mileage warranty in the international markets. The new Daytona will be launched in India later this year. The bike will be available in Carnival Red, Satin Granite & Snowdonia White.
